The owner of a local landscaping company is facing multiple felony charges after they allegedly took an advanced payment for a work contract then failed to provide any of the agreed-upon services.
42-year-old Walter Porter Jr., of Perkasie, was charged on Oct. 12 with felony counts of receiving advance payment for services and fails to perform, making false statements to induce agreements for home improvement services, deceptive business practices, theft by deception and receiving stolen property, following an investigation by the Hilltown Township Police Department.
Porter is the owner of Perkasie-based Walt’s Outdoor Living Space.
Investigators were contacted by a homeowner on June 16, who stated that she had hired Porter in September 2020 to fix a retaining wall, walkway, and ditch at their home on Callowhill Road. The victim stated they paid a deposit of $7,500 for the work, which was expected to begin in October 2020, however the work was never performed.
According to the criminal complaint, the victim contacted Porter on Oct. 5, 2020, to inquire about the start day for the work, but Porter said the work would be delayed as his wife had fallen ill. When the victim requested Porter return the deposit until he could provide a start date, Porter replied that he did not have the money and the refund would have to wait until he finished another job, the report states.
From October 2020 through May 2021, the victim continued to make attempts to retrieve their deposit from Porter, but all attempts were unsuccessful, investigators said. On June 22, 2021, police made contact with Porter, who admitted to depositing the check and failing to provide any of the services, according to the complaint.
Porter was arraigned by District Judge Maggie Snow on Oct. 12, who set bail at $25,000 unsecured. His next court appearance is a preliminary hearing on Dec. 7 at 1:45 p.m. in front of District Judge Regina Armitage.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using court records and the affidavit of probable cause.
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